Renault Exploits Racing Success in Mainstream Marketing

PARIS – Winning the Formula 1 championship in 2005 cost Renault SA millions of euros, but the French car maker cannot clearly identify how much the victory is worth.

“It’s very difficult to identify the links” to commercial success, says Benoit Marzloff, senior vice president-strategy and marketing.

Renault is pushing the victory hardest with advertisements and other marketing tools in countries where it does not sell cars.

In December, Renault bought several ...